Whaddya Think, Dr. Fink?
Are You Sure?
“This is the best cheesecake ever,” you say. “Without doubt.” Your friends watch as you take a bite and then you wince. “It’s not as good as usual,” you growl. “I’ll have to try it on another day.” Certainty. It’s the unshakable belief that something is true and irrefutable. David Rock in Psychology Today writes that “your brain craves certainty an...Read More
Are You Woke? Taking Baby Steps into the “New Normal”
You have arrived! You took your Covid shot and waited the required weeks for full immunity. Now it’s time to step out into the New Normal and take a look around. But . . . Some experts call it pandemic trauma. Joel Achenbuck in the Washington Post refers to “increased risk, residual risk, potential risk, higher risk . . .” Coming out of your Covid ...Read More
Are You Woke? Embracing the New Normal!
Are you woke? Have you been zoom bombed? Who is canceling culture and body shaming? Welcome to the newspeak of the New Normal. It’s not easy to define (and embrace) the New Normal. The only thing we know is that life has changed in so many ways that it’s hard to decide what to do next. “People have difficulty with change,” says New York Psychologis...Read More
Amazon is Forever!
1994 was a hallmark year. Stephen Spielberg won his first directing Oscar for Schindler’s List. Friends aired for the first of ten seasons. Baseball went on strike. Nothing compared to the bald computer guy from Wall Street who quit his job and launched Amazon from his garage. The world would never be the same. “Help,” Fern called me from Californi...Read More
The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow….
It feels like a time warp. The days are short and the nights are long. You can’t find anything interesting on Netflix. It takes hours to walk to the kitchen and by the time you get there the best cookies are gone. Even Stephen Colbert isn’t funny anymore. There’s an unescapable diagnosis out there – Covid Fatigue. And we all have it. Take a deep br...Read More
Have We Forgotten?
Maybe it’s time to take a break. Between the lies from the White House, a raging virus that the president ignores, and peaceful protestors attacked by unidentified Feds, life looks very grim. The news reads like a horror story, corruption is rampant, and conspiracy theorists are hell-bent on destroying our beautiful country. It’s all happening as w...Read More
It’s Raining Cats, Dogs . . . and Plastic?
We all know the meaning of it’s raining cats and dogs. Yet no one has solved the mystery of where the phrase originated. Some say it goes back to Nordic mythology where Odin, the God of storms, was pictured with dogs and wolves (symbols of wind). Witches rode through on brooms with black cats and heavy rain. Another unlikely legend claims that dogs...Read More
Who’s Good for a Laugh?
Humor. It’s been around, especially the political kind, since the first cave dweller stepped forward to lead the tribe. It’s funny, cutting, and entertaining. You can find it in Greek drama, Shakespearean tragedy, and in Mark Twain who famously wrote, “Suppose you were an idiot, and suppose you were a member of Congress; but I repeat myself.” Techn...Read More
Laughing Through the Pandemic
Let’s Smile and Laugh at Home! Over two hundred years ago, Lord Byron, English poet and politician, wrote, “Always laugh when you can. It is cheap medicine.” Where is Lord Byron when we need him? Let’s look at some facts. It takes .03 seconds to smile. Research has shown that smiling reduces stress, sends positive messages, and is contagious. Smili...Read More
You’re Up!
Bases are loaded. Your kids, grandkids, friends, and neighbors cheer. Do you homer, walk, or hit into a triple play? We’re all on the same baseball field. The pandemic is everywhere. Italians sing to each another from their balconies, parents home teach their kids, and celebrities perform a “living room concert.” Most of us care – don’t let anyone ...Read More
I spoke to Finn today!
It wouldn’t have happened a few months ago. In the pre-pandemic days before our isolation, fear, and confusion, I never would have met Finn. I would have been too busy – too controlled by demands, errands, and schedules. Sheltering at home, away from people and deadlines, things have changed. In other words, time has changed. We all wait for Corona...Read More
Who Ate the Cheesecake?
It mysteriously leaps into your mouth. The ice cream is a lone spoonful left in an empty container. The chocolate chip cookies are gone – even though the grandkids haven’t visited for a week. Where did they go? Could it be you? Denial. It can be a good thing. Psychologists consider denial a way to handle reality – if it doesn’t exist then it doesn’...Read More